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Written by: Hao Ziyu and Huang Yunna
2020-09-29 16:58
Last update date: 2020-09-29 16:59
The Youth Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong recently (September 27) issued its "Policy Address" expecting to urge the SAR government to solve the "four industries" problems faced by young people in Hong Kong, including studies, employment, entrepreneurship, and home ownership.
The young people’s concern about the way out for young people and their active suggestions are definitely worthy of recognition; however, judging from their over 20 pages of problem-solving remedies, they seem to regard the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a "recycling point for Hong Kong's problems." For example, they think that Hong Kong’s residential land is limited, It is difficult to solve the rigid housing needs, so I support youths in the Greater Bay Area to buy homes, and then work between the two places or directly start a business in the Mainland. I naively thought that this would be done once and for all.
It has to be said that the lazy political thinking exposed by this "expectation" is disappointing-a one-sided view of the "youth problem" and the "throwing of the problem elsewhere" are exactly the same as the authorities.
The problems faced by young people, such as education, employment, housing, etc., are also deep-seated problems in the entire society.
(Profile picture/Photo by Huang Yongjun)
"Youth issues" should not be viewed in isolation
The Youth Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong is the "second echelon" of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, the largest political party in Hong Kong. It is automatically assumed by party members aged 35 or below.
However, such a group of young talents who are likely to participate in the governance of Hong Kong in the future have not been able to see clearly what is meant by the "youth problem" in Hong Kong.
The problems faced by young people, such as education, employment, housing, etc., are also deep-seated problems in the entire society. If the youth group is separated from the society, it is equivalent to ignoring the structural reasons behind the problem, and it is also an escape from social reform. .
Take the imminent housing problem as an example. Between 2011 and 2018, there were an average of more than 110,000 non-elderly public housing applicants each year, half of whom were under 30 years old, and as many as 47% had a tertiary education or above ; As for subsidized housing, 49% of the 104,000 applicants for HOS purchases in 2017 were also under 30 years old.
What are the deep-seated contradictions and structural reasons in society?
It is the excessive superstitious belief in a free economy and inaction in Hong Kong, which has led to the solidification of Hong Kong’s economic structure, single industrial development, lack of new power, and social difficulties. In addition, the authorities are indifferent to market-led primary distribution and are unwilling to formulate more reasonable rules. The labor distribution system is unable to uphold the principle of fairness and justice to regulate social resources at the time of secondary distribution, thereby reducing the burden on the basic level of life, improving the quality of life of the citizens, etc., and it happens to be the young people with the most energetic, creative and richest potential. However, he is struggling with the above-mentioned life difficulties and is unable to show his strengths.
The Youth Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong issued its "Policy Address" on September 27, urging the SAR government to solve the "four industries" problems faced by young people in Hong Kong, including academics, employment, entrepreneurship, and home ownership.
(Profile picture/Photo by Huang Shuhui)
Don’t use the Greater Bay Area as a “Hong Kong Recycling Station”
The problem is so clear that only by promoting the government's active actions, recovering land, developing industries, and reorganizing distribution can Hong Kong citizens, including young people, be relieved of their difficulties.
However, the Youth Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong even simplified the problem, suggesting that young people go to the mainland to buy a house and buy a property, and by the way solve their work problems there. This not only ignores Hong Kong’s own land and industrial problems, it even regards the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a "Hong Kong problem". The suspicion of "recycle bins" believes that as long as some young people leave Hong Kong, they can reduce their demand for education, employment, entrepreneurship, and home ownership, which is equivalent to solving the very difficult "youth problem" of the authorities.
This kind of lazy political thinking of one-sided view of the "youth problem" and "throwing the problem elsewhere" is really disappointing, and it can even be described as the same as the establishment camp and the SAR government.
These politicians, who are inextricably linked to vested interest groups, have always been accustomed to referring the Hong Kong problem to the "land shortage", but they are not responsible and ignore the facts, because Hong Kong does not lack land!
For example, the issue of renting reclaimed land on Guishan Island in Zhuhai to build a "Hong Kong City", which has recently been hyped up, is a typical example of reducing the Hong Kong problem to "insufficient land" and then pushing it to the mainland and even the central government. Fortunately, the Guangdong Provincial Government has a problem with Hong Kong. Know more thoroughly than Hong Kong politicians. Some have pointed out that the mainland authorities believe that Hong Kong’s land development rate is only 24%, and it is not that there is no land, and they refuse to lend.
In fact, when the government is unable to clarify the relationship with vested interest groups, it will naturally not be able to grasp the dominant right of land development; similarly, the difficulties of employment, entrepreneurship and property ownership stem from the single industrial structure. If the Hong Kong government does not promote medical, With the development of industries such as education and innovation and technology, how can we cultivate young people's sense of local loyalty and belonging and lead them into the future?
Just as Feng Yingqian, director of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, once pointed out in the Hong Kong Policy Development Seminar, Hong Kong officials should not treat young people as another interest group, and only lobby young people to accept certain policies from the perspective of interest, but must listen through multiple channels. .
In other words, using housing and work alone as an incentive to leave Hong Kong is not only a misjudgment of youth issues, but also creates new problems.
The issue of leasing reclaimed land on Guishan Island in Zhuhai to build a "Hong Kong City", which has been hyped up recently, is a typical example of reducing the Hong Kong problem to "lack of land" and then pushing it to the mainland and even the central government.
(Photo provided by the New Democratic Party)
To promote Hong Kong’s reform is to build the Greater Bay Area
Of course, Hong Kong should definitely take an active part in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It is indeed a major opportunity for Hong Kong youth to make good use of their advantages and be able to flex their muscles; however, the society, including the Youth Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong and the SAR government There is a certain misunderstanding of the role of Hong Kong in the Greater Bay Area. Apart from naively thinking that Hong Kong can use the resources of the Bay Area to resolve local conflicts, they also fail to correctly understand the development relationship between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. First of all, Hong Kong itself is Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. As a member of the Greater Bay Area, promoting the people’s livelihood and economic reforms of Hong Kong society is itself a major contribution to the Greater Bay Area; secondly, based on the convenience of “one country” and the advantages of “two systems”, Hong Kong should definitely strengthen itself and take responsibility. As the "leading" role in the Greater Bay Area, we will vigorously develop education, healthcare, and innovation and technology industries, making Hong Kong a base for gathering talents in the Bay Area and even the world, rather than "driving" young people to the Greater Bay Area.
It must be known that when the SAR government has no strategy to export the younger generation, it will drain local talents to a certain extent. If Hong Kong has good policies and reform vision, why should everyone leave their homes and travel between the two places?
If the Youth DAB is still “stubborn”, "Hong Kong 01" sincerely encourages you to lead by example and take the lead in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Apart from understanding the national conditions, you can also experience the suffering of Hong Kong people traveling between the two places. Will have a deeper understanding of regional governance and youth issues.
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